Leslie VS the FAYZ
by Leslieisfiction
Summary: Leslie is lost in the FAYZ. Can the one person that ever noticed her save her? Or will she be the whole reason Leslie goes to the dark side? Canon/Original
1. Chapter 1

The day it happened, I didn't know what to think.

IT: This "FAYZ." The random wall or dome or sphere that circles me right now; surrounds me, us, Perdido Beach; cutting us off from the rest of civilization.

I was in the car with my mom, on the way out of town, going to the dentist: I was so close.

Sitting in the passenger seat, trying to take a nap while listening to my iPod, I, Leslie Harrington, witnessed the beginning first hand.

It happened simultaneously; Mom disappeared and a wall cut through the engine of the car. I don't know what I expected. To keep going through the milky wall, run face first into it, I don't know. What I do know is that in that moment of time: everything changed.

The car didn't move. The radio stopped playing and there was static. I picked up my iPhone and tried to call Dad's cell. A message popped up on the screen, "Emergency Calls Only." I sighed, this was an emergency. I checked my signal: four blue bars. "Stupid phone," I thought while I hit it. I tried again; the same thing happened. I finally tried 911, and the phone dialed! But then there was nothing. No ring, nothing. The phone went back to the home menu.

I panicked.

I got out of the car and ran. I ran back down the highway at first, hoping to pass a car that could help me, but then I decided against that idea: it's not smart to run down a highway. So I started running back toward the car; pumped with adrenaline and anger I ran straight into the wall, I don't know why, I just did it, but a second later I was on the ground, convulsing like a person with turrets like I do when I'm in pain. The wall burned, and the impact hurt the right side of my body.

I stopped convulsing, and just laid there. I stared at the sky, just thinking.

My first thought was "What is this? Where did Mom go? How did this wall get here?" I let that circulate through my head, but I realized my attempts at solving those puzzles would be in vain, so I thought differently: "Is Astrid ok?"

It was a lame thought, and I knew that, but I had to wonder. Astrid and I used to be friends, but then her little brother was born with autism. We couldn't hang out as much after that, so we weren't really still friends, but you know, we talked sometimes, nodded to each other in the hallway; casual.

But something had been happening to me over the years. Before Astrid's brother, Little Pete, was born, I began to wonder about us, Astrid and me, if we had something going.

I know, I was only nine or ten, but I've always been mature for my age, which is why Astrid and I got along so well.

But before I could talk to Astrid about these thoughts, Little Pete was born and she started to slip away.

"Absence makes the heart grow fonder." I don't know who said it but they sure knew their stuff. I watched Astrid from afar; I even began trying super hard in my classes so I could get into the advanced classes with her. I mean, I'm smart, I just don't try, or I used to not.

I decided I needed to find my way back to town, see what was going on: check on Astrid.

I walked for a long time, I saw random cars here and there, pulled off to the side of the highway, or crashed head on with other cars. It was scary: a sort of omen hung in the air like must in a locker room. I tried to shut off my mind to all of the confusing thoughts swirling in my head; I stuck to one thing instead: Astrid.

It began to get dark, so I hopped into one of the cars off the side of the highway, turned off its engine as I had been doing for about the last two miles, and fell asleep.

I awoke with a start. Someone was coming; or four some ones.

They came on bikes; BIKES! Down a HIGHWAY! I stared in disbelief from the car, and then, as they got closer, my jaw literally dropped.

It was ASTRID! Sense told me to call out to her, ask her what was going on, get some answers, but then I saw with whom she was riding with.

Sam Temple, "School Bus Sam," was behind Astrid on the bike, pedaling at a fast, yet leisurely speed. Just behind him was his best friend, Quinn Gaither, riding on a new kid's handlebars. I think his name was Ed-something. But that wasn't important. What WAS important is that Astrid, MY Astrid, was riding on the handle bars of some other guy's bike.

"Hold up there, Leslie," I told myself internally, "She's not yours; you know that; stop being so melodramatic." I sighed. As always, my sensible side was right, I was being a drama queen, a hopeless romantic, and it sickened my sense.

But still, I kept quite as they passed and my heart broke. I looked around the car once they had passed, and felt the loneliness swallow me again, like it had been lately. I cried. I cried like a baby, even though I knew I had to stop soon, before it got dark again.

I got out and started walking again, away from the direction my heart was pulling me; away from Astrid.

An hour or so later I arrived in my town, Perdido Beach, and was given the news: Everyone fifteen and older had disappeared.

I sat there for a second. I let the information play with my mind: everyone is gone, no adults, no bossy, arrogant teenagers, just young ones like me (like Astrid) and all those below. I stared at my hands as I thought. My fingers twitched this way and that, I clasped them and released. I must have looked special, but it was the only task my brain could accomplish at the moment, and my head swirled with ideas of what exactly has happened.


	2. Chapter 2

I went home to see if everything was ok. I checked in my room: nothing had been touched. I checked my parents' room: same old same. I checked the kitchen, dining room, and hallway.

Nothing looked different. It was as if I'd just come home from school as usual: nobody home, no one would till God knows when.

I left the empty house. It just added to my feeling of loneliness. I mean, I had no real friends, people that understood me. I was a freak, a label that would not go away, not even during this, whatever people where calling it: "FAYZ?"

I walked to the place that everyone seemed to be gathering: the town plaza. I saw a tarp on the ground next to the burnt apartment building that Sam Temple apparently saved best he could. My intuition told me not to look under that tarp: a dead body would be the only logical answer to what was under there.

I looked at the familiar, nameless faces around me. Fifth graders ran around, excited and rambunctious. The older kids looked worried, or eager, some just looked lackadaisical. I didn't see too many really little kids; they were all in the daycare with Mary Terrafino and her little brother John. They were nice kids, pretty cool: I thought about going to help them, but part of me told me I had to stay where I was. I had to wait on Astrid.

And I did. I waited up until midnight. Some kids were still running around wildly, most were snuggled together in family-like units asleep in the middle of the plaza.

Me? I went home.

I hadn't had anything to eat the past day and a half, and I wondered why that didn't bother me; that's when I started coughing, hard, like I'd come down with a cold or something. I sighed sadly, because I hate being sick. "It's just a FAYZ," I laughed to myself, "You'll get over it; only a FAYZ."

I drank down some milk so I wouldn't feel so empty then I went up to my room, hooked my iPhone up to the iHome and fell asleep listening to the chords of Fall Out Boy. "I found the cure to growing older." I wish Patrick, because my birthday is a few months away, and I'm scared.

I woke up as soon as I heard the engine. I thought, "Finally, someone's here to save us, or maybe it was all a dream."

But I followed the noise out to the town plaza and saw that no, we had not been saved, but some kids were putting on a show.

I thought about leaving and going back to bed. I felt weak and I didn't want to give anything to the people around me, but then I saw the face I'd been subconsciously looking for.

Astrid was next to a park bench in the middle of the crowd, next to Sam. My eyes drooped and I felt ten times worse, but I didn't care, I was going to stay, and see if maybe Astrid would notice me.

The "show" or whatever was quite mysterious. These kids from the private school up the hill drove down here looking to make tithes and "help" us. Their leader, Caine Soren, there was something I didn't trust about him; something dark.

He was charming, I'll give him that, but then, there was something else. There was something in his eyes when he looked at the awestruck crowd. His smile was genuine, but in a sinister way, and then they called out Sam's name.

The grin hid nothing. His eyes narrowed in that evil villain way, like when Dr. Doofenshmirtz catches Perry the Platypus and rubs his hands together, about to reveal his evil plan like an idiot.

Then again, Caine Soren was no idiot. He wiped the maniacal look off his face and smiled that "genuine" smile again as he led: Orc and his punks; Sam and Astrid; and a few other random kids into the church.

Some kids left to go back home, or rob some more; John led the prees back to the daycare center for lunch; a lot of girls where gushing over how hot and charming Caine was.

Me? I did what I do best; I analyzed the surrounding area. I was about to head back home and find something to eat when I heard the crash.

I ran toward the church, as I got closer I heard muffled screams. I feared the worst; that Astrid had been hurt; but to my relief she came out of the church quickly, pulling a screaming Little Pete from the sanctuary.

She bumped into me in the rush.

"Sorry," she said looking at me quickly then glancing back at Little Pete, using his trigger phrase, "Window seat, Petey, window seat."

"S'okay," I managed as she continued down the steps. I doubt she heard me. She never pays attention when Little Pete is on the verge of breakdown.

Soon everyone was filtering out of the church. The Coates kids crossed the plaza and went into the town hall. Sam tried to catch up with Astrid, but got stopped by kids in the front of the church, asking him what was going on.

To avoid an awkward situation if anyone was watching (as I always felt there was) I continued up the steps and looked into the church.

Orc and his goonies where still in there, looking expressionless at a kid (was it Cookie?) lying on the ground, screaming in pain. Blood poured from his shoulder. Dahra Baidoo sat next to him, trying her best to get the bleeding to stop. I left before the smell of the blood could hit me. I felt like I was going to be sick.

When I walked back out Astrid was flirting with some Coates kid. No, not flirting, that wasn't the right word. Seducing. Her hand was on his arm and she looked into his eyes; she wanted information. The kid, about nine or ten from the looks of it, with nerdy, too-big glasses that kept falling down his nose and messy, blonde hair, stalled and stuttered as a dark-headed girl from Coates made her way to him.

He jumped when she arrived. The kid had been in the middle of a sentence, about to disclose private information from the looks of it, "Good job, Astrid," I said mentally.

The girl grabbed Astrid's hand and began to shake it; her eyes narrowed when Astrid quickly pulled away.

I suddenly realized that I had been standing on the top steps of the church, looking down at Astrid as the scene played out. If I didn't move now someone would notice and wonder what was going on. I quickly began to move down the steps, passing Astrid as the two Coates kids went toward the town hall.

"Hey wait," she said as I quickly walked past, thinking about the fact that I had almost brushed into her.

"Huh?" I said stupidly, stopping abruptly and turning around to face her.

"How um…," she stalled, not sure if she should go on or not, "How are you managing?" She finally said.

"Um…," I said, "Fine?" I stated it as a question. Something more was going on in her head.

"That's good," she said, looking away awkwardly. It had been a long time sense we had had a conversation, she didn't know what to say.

"How's Little Pete?" I asked, trying to prolong the conversation.

"The same," she shrugged, "Still living in his own world, you know, never noticing the people around him."

"Lucky him," I said jokingly, she smiled.

"Ya," she said, "I'd much rather not know that my life has totally been flipped upside down."

"Same here," I agreed. My heart raced in my chest, this was the longest conversation we had had in a while. She was looser, laughing more; odd how total chaos would make her happier.

"Well, um," she said awkwardly again, "I gotta go, but stop by any time, okay?"

"Will do," I said, subconsciously crossing my fingers. I make no promises I don't intend to keep. I watched as she walked off, toward Sam. My chest hurt, and my breathing came in wheezes, but I clung to one thing that made me happy.

She remembered.

When I was younger, I resented my family; truthfully, I still do, but that's not the point. Mom and Dad would always work late, and I would sit at home, all alone, with my aunts and grandparents calling nonstop.

I hated it. I felt so alone. I slipped into a depression at the age of nine, but I had Astrid, and she noticed.

That's when it started really, this obsession.

She began to come over every day after school just to study with me, just for a bit; but of course, we were young, so all too soon she would have to leave.

"Bye, Astrid." I would say, feeling my heart begin to sink.

"Bye, Les," She'd say and hug me, being sure to give a quick squeeze, as if to say "You'll be okay, don't worry."

But I did, I mean, I was so alone, and I felt even more alone after she left.

I remember that day perfectly still.

I was in my room, it was a Saturday, but my parents had to work and I was alone. I was crying, I didn't know why, I guess I just felt so bad.

I went to the bathroom.

I grabbed the razorblade.

I placed it to my wrist when the phone rang.

"Let it ring," I thought, "They should know that my parents are at work."

But it kept ringing, so I went to pick it up.

"Hello?" I said into the receiver.

"Leslie, Oh my gosh!" It was Astrid, she sounded odd. I heard cries of pain in the background.

"What's the matter?" I asked, immediately concerned.

"My mom's in labor!" she said with excitement, "Little Pete is being born!"

I remember smiling, putting down the razor blade and rushing to my neighbor's house so she could give me a ride to the hospital.

I shouldn't have put it down.

I should have finished it; then and there.

But I didn't, and now I couldn't.

I entered the hospital where Astrid was waiting with tears in my eyes. She had them in her's too and we smiled as we hugged. The nurse called us in to see the new addition to the family.

Astrid's mom let me hold the baby, Little Pete.

I cradled him in my arms while Astrid stood behind me, looking over my shoulder at Little Pete's beautiful, intelligent, little face and whispered, "What a beautiful family."

Tears welled in my eyes. She said it collectively; including me. My tears fell despite myself and I looked over at her with a smile. She met my eyes and smiled back, pushing her long blonde hair behind her ears.

We stood there for a moment, staring at each other; but then my cell phone rang.

I handed over Little Pete and answered. What was said is not important. The thing is I had to leave immediately and that was basically the last time I saw Astrid for a while.

My heart aches now thinking about it. I wish I could turn back time; go back to that day, finish the job.

But I didn't, and I couldn't.

The only thing I could do was sit here and wait.

Wait on Astrid to love me; the girl she'd forgotten.

Waiting sucks.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I realized I didn't put this in any of the previous chapters so I would like to note that I do not own GONE or any of the characters associated with it. I do, however, own Leslie Harrington and I shall make her do my puppet dance forever. Mwhahahaha! :) Now, back to the story:**

I went home after the scene. Caine and the other Coates kids were making themselves at home in Town Hall and around the plaza, I didn't feel like watching, a huge fear swept over me everytime I saw there muscle of the group come out: Drake Merwin.

He wasn't really that strong looking, but in his eyes you could see that he was someone you didn't want to mess with. He was slightly taller than average for a fourteen year old. He was slim, lanky, and his dark eyes sunk slightly into his head. He had a shark-tooth grin, and sarcasm filled his every pore. I could tell with one look; no one wanted to or would mess with him.

I lazed around the house. I felt kind of sick so I took 2 Dayquils. The cable was out, so I turned on a DVD, _The Simpsons Movie_. I laughed slightly at the irony. Was this PETA? Should we have stopped littering in the ocean? No, that wasn't it. The movie was drastic fiction, this was something diffrent.

I feel asleep on the couch around two that afternoon. When I woke up, it was dark, but I was lonely so I went out to the plaza.

I was slightly hungry, agian realizing that I hadn't eaten in a while. I went over to the lit up McDonald's; rumor was someone had kept it open.

Sure enough when I walked in Albert Hillsborough was standing behind the counter, cap in hand, studying a thick book. I coughed. He turned around quickly. "Huh?" He said, "Oh, hey Leslie."

"Hey Albert," I said casually, "You running this thing?"

"Yup, what would you like?" he asked as he putting on his hat.

"Umm, I guess I'll just take a Diet Coke."

"You sure? You don't look so good, have you been eating?"

I blinked, surprised at his accusation, "Ya, I'm just haven't been very hungry lately. A Diet Coke is fine."

"Okay," he said reluctant. He handed me a large McDonald's cup and pointed me to the machine. "Have a nice day," he smiled and turned back to the book.

I filled the drink and sat down. Albert hadn't asked for any money, and I assumed the free refills was still in order, so I sat there for about an hour and half just drinking Diet Coke while Albert studied his book.

I reviewed _The Simpsons Movie_ in my head. It was pretty funny, and it had a nice storyline, but my favorite part had to be when Homer sang, _"Spider-pig, Spider-pig.._."

Just then Albert reached me in my catatonic state, "Leslie!"

"Oh, sorry, what?"

"I've got to lock up; you need me to walk you home?"

I smiled, I never really got to know Albert before, but he seemed really nice. "No thanks, I... um, I've got some stuff to do."

He looked at me skeptically, "Oh, okay, if your sure..."

"I am," I said getting up. I almost fell back down, I hadn't moved in so long, but I fought the numbness and walked over to the drink fountain. I refilled my drink one more time then walked toward the door, "Goodnight, Albert," I said looking over my shoulder as I walked out,

"Goodnight Leslie," I heard as the door closed behind me.

I walked out to the ocean. The waves were small; barely even there, definantly diffrent from usual. I took off my shoes and socks and walked through the tide, gaining peace from the continuity of the water rushing up to meet me, then quickly retreating back: just like my family.

My mom; she sometimes tried to connect with me, but most of those attempts were futile, everytime I began to act myself around her she would retreat back, to afraid to deal with the real me: a freak.

I don't know why, but, ever since I was little I was diffrent: most kids had imagenary friends, I had imaginary personalities; some kids liked to play pretend, I liked to play "What would you do if..." and most of the ifs were bad things: I'm being held at gunpoint, my teacher snaps and is about to slap a classmate; and as I got older: rape, telling Astrid I like her, being tied up and prepared to be burnt...

I was a strange kid.

I still am. I still play "What would you do if..." It's all in my head I know, but now here I am again, playing "What would you do if..." but this time, it's real.

And half my ifs didn't even amount to this.

I realized I was crying and wiped my eyes. I sat down in the sand, far enough away that my clothes didn't get wet, but not too far away that the tide didn't still reach my legs.

I laid back and looked up at the stars. Something was off about them, but I didn't know enough about them to tell.

I stared up at them regardless and looked at the moon. I remembered when I was little and I wanted to go to the moon. Now I had smaller dreams.

I sat up at the sound of footsteps. Someone was cominhg up behind me. It was Drake. My heart stopped cold in fear.

He sat down next to me. His pants legs were rolled up his shins. He glanced at me, then looked up at the sky. I stared at him. He had a pale face in the moon light. He drew his legs into his chest and wrapped his arms around them. He looked young, childish, and content.

Then his cold, dark eyes looked over at me.

"You shouldn't be out here you know."

"What?" I managed after a few seconds of stunned silience.

"Some wierd things are going on, that's all, and I don't want anyone coming out here to get you and hurt that pretty face." He said smiling his shark tooth grin.

I gaped.

"What?" he said, close to laughing, "I can't like a townie?"

"Well, I'm not exactly the best looking _townie_ around," I said, finding my voice.

He grabbed my face hard, his hands held it roughly, dangerous. "Don't you ever say that," he said through gritted teeth, then leaned forward and pressed his rough mouth to mine.

I shot up from my game of "What would you do if..." This time someone really was approaching, and I was afraid that my dream may be becoming a reality.


	4. Chapter 4

It was the girl that had interrupted Astrid and the Coates boy earlier that day; Caine's right hand: Diana Landris. Her form was silhouetted in the moon light. Her curves were accented beautifully as she approached me and became more visible. She was wearing her bathing suit: out for a late night swim I take it, needed to get a way; just like me.

She seemed surprised to see me, but she quickly wiped away the sneer and replaced it with a surprised smile. "Hello," she said, taking a seat next to me in the sand, the spot recently occupied by the imaginary Drake.

"Hey, Diana, right?" I said casually, ignoring the nerves in my brain saying "Leave."

"Yes, Diana Landris," she said sticking out her hand, "and you are?"

I looked at it tentatively before regretfully taking it. "I'm Leslie Harrington."

Her eyes widened, "I see."

I narrowed mine, getting a strange feeling. I pulled my hand away, like I'd seen Astrid do just hours before. "I'm sure you do..."

She narrowed her eyes too, but forced away a scowl, changing the expression to confusion, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"I... I don't know..." I said, looking away. I truly was confused.

She didn't hide her scowl, she thought I couldn't see it, "Uh-huh," she said, "Well, I'm going to go for quick swim. I'll... see you later, I guess." With that she go up and walked into the too calm ocean.

I left.

I walked around Perdido aimlessly. Down First Avenue, turned left on to Pacific Boulevard, up Sheridan Avenue, past the firehouse were my nemesis, Sam, was sleeping. Then Left on Alameda Avenue into the suburbs. I didn't realize it until I was on her front porch: I had walked to Astrid's house.

I thought of knocking on the door, I could have just knocked, she would have answered, confused and sleepy, I could have told her I loved her, then we could move on, I could move on, but instead I just stood there, and stared at her front door. "The Ellison's" a sign on the porch said, showing a mediocre cartoon of a couple and a little girl and boy: the girl slightly taller. I laughed at the mediocre family. The sound resonated in the still night, and I quickly shut-up, but it was to late, a light in an upstairs window turned on.

I looked around frantically. Just as the downstairs light flicked on I dived into the bushes.

Astrid in her nightgown stepped out onto the porch. She looked left and right, not thinking of the bushes. She shook her head before stepping back inside and heading back to bed.

I stepped back up on the porch.

She hadn't locked the door.

I could just walk inside.

My hand was on the doorknob.

I went home and went to bed.

The next few days were uninteresting. I mostly moped about the empty house, watching DVDs I'd seen a thousand times and occasionally going to the McDonald's to repeat my experience with Albert, every time he'd ask me if I was eating, every time I'd half lie and say yes.

I really wasn't that hungry, it was odd but true. Mostly when I ate I ate because I knew I needed to eat. My cough got a bit worse but I kept it mostly under control.

Then everything went bad.

I was walking around when I saw a bunch of kids gathered around someone. I decided to see what was going on. Bouncing Bette was performing some kind of trick. She had balls of light and they were floating from her hands, like she was juggling without even touching the balls. Suddenly, commotion started.

"Hey," a gruff voice said. Orc.

"What?" Bette asked, the balls retreating back into her hand.

"No magic tricks," he said, gripping his bat tightly.

"Who says?" Bette asked, igniting the balls again, and allowing them to do their thing without her looking.

Orc's eyes narrowed, "I do."

"Well, you're not in charge anymore, are you?"

Orc grunted. "You better stop."

"Leave her alone, man!" a kid yelled from the back of the crowd. The tension was rising around everyone. It was so heavy on my shoulders, I almost turned tail and ran, but I stood rooted to the spot instead, thirsty for a fight,

"No," Bette said in reply to Orc's previous command, the balls grew brighter to accentuate her point.

I don't think Orc thought about what he was doing. He just swung, making contact with Bette's head. The balls retreated again as Bette crumpled to the ground.

Kids began yelling, everywhere, yelling:

"Why'd you do that Orc, man!"

"She wasn't hurting anybody!"

"You just hit a girl, dude!"

As Orc stood staring at the crowd with his bat behind his shoulder, eyes shifting, as if deciding who to hit next, Bette got up and ran. Orc blinked in surprise before chasing after her. Just then his goonie friends began to follow him in pursuit, and, at a slightly slower pace, the crowd followed behind.

I saw Orc catch up and hit Bette behind the knees. She crumbled, but kept crawling toward her destination. Orc hit her again in the back and she fell back on the ground. She stayed still for a nerve-racking second before again picking herself up and crawling. Orc wasn't paying attention, so she got pretty far away. She was crawling into the fire station as Orc and his goonies swaggered up to the mouth of the garage.

The crowd caught up to the action where Sam was yelling at Orc, playing hero: again.

Orc swung the bat at Sam's head, and some part of my groaned when he missed. Then Edilio came up from behind a staggering Sam to attack Orc. One of the other bullies went to help get Edilio off of Orc while kids chanted words of encouragement:

"Fight. Fight. Fight."

"Get'em Edilio!"

"Go Edilio!"

"Orc, leave the kid alone!"

"Get a life Orc!"

I left there, I couldn't take all of the noise, the people, the tension. I walked home the long way. I didn't meet to many kids out and about, but the ones I did I noticed averted their eyes.

The next day I found out Bette had died from the hit to the head Orc had delivered.

Anger swelled in me. I couldn't see straight. I ran home and slammed the front door closed behind me and leaned on it. I closed my eyes, trying to get a sense of reality, I shouldn't be acting so insane about this, but something inside me was lit on fire. I didn't even know Bette that well, why was I acting this way?

I looked down at my palms. They felt hot, I put them to my face, they were searing. I concentrated. I shut off my mind and listened to the stillness around me.

Caine. Caine didn't know what to do. He needed Orc, but he needed to keep the townies happy. He needed to keep his position. He couldn't... wouldn't go back to Coates. He needed power, he had **the **power, but he needed a firmer, more tangible power.

Diana. Diana was worried about Caine. She wanted to tell him to punish Orc, but she knew that if he did he would suffer a heavy loss. One he couldn't afford.

Drake. Drake was happy. He took a whiff of the fresh dirt being dug up by Edilio, the smell of death.

Bette's little brother. He was so sad, he didn't know what to do. He couldn't cry, not in front of all these people. He'd cry when he got home: his now empty home.

Sam. Sam was angry. He was clenching his palms and stealing glances toward Orc's house next to the plaza. He wished he could call up the power to burn Orc's arm off.

Astrid. Astrid was scared and angry. Something deeper was going on inside town hall, and she wanted to know what, but she couldn't focus on that right now, she had to play nice, and properly mourn the dead.

I took my palm from my face and opened my eyes. I was in my entry room. My hands where hot and my mind was spinning. All of the sudden, I was starving. Starving beyond thought. I ran to the kitchen and stuffed my face with whatever I could get my hands on. My hand, searing hands.

"_What's happening to me?_" I thought, "_What's going on?_"


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Thanks for all of your awesome reviews! I am spending every chance I get to write this! So, without further ado, Chapter 5!**

After I felt sufficiently nourished I went and sat down on the couch. I leaned forward, putting my elbows on my knees and staring at my palms. "_What's going on?_" I repeated to myself.

"_The power_," Caine's words echoed in my head. What was this "power"? His tone had implied something... but I didn't know what. Determined to figure it out, I went for a walk, letting my feet take me where they wanted to go. As I walked I pulled my hood over my head and kept my hands stuffed in my pockets, constantly looking over my shoulder.

I arrived in front of Astrid's house just as the sun was setting. I had fought with my sense all day, trying not to go to the place I knew I needed to go.

I rang the doorbell.

Muffled shuffling from inside.

Astrid opened the door, looking pale and out of it. My guess was that the funeral hadn't gone so well.

"H-hey," I stammered.

"Hey?" she said, giving me a quizzical look, "What's the matter?" She stepped slightly to the side and I burst into the house, ripping my hands from my pockets and pointing my palms at her as she shut the door.

She turned around, and cringed back from my palms.

"Something's happening!" I yelled. I didn't know what else to do, my brain was on freakout mode.

Astrid glanced quickly over at Little Pete, absorbed in his game on the couch.

She shhed me then asked, "What is it you can do, Leslie?"

"Wh-what?" I asked in an overly hushed tone, making sure to comply to her demands.

"Is it the power?" she prodded, "What is it you do?"

I stared at her, awestruck, "There are others?"

She nodded, "Yes. Many people, and even animals are going through strange... mutations. I'm guessing you've gone through it, too."

"...Y-ya, I-I guess. I, um, I was freaking out today when I heard about Bette, an-and I, um, my palms, they got really hot, and I pressed them to my face, and... and it was like I could read people's minds or something, you know?"

She stared, "Hmm," she pondered silently. I stood looking at her, waiting for Astrid, Astrid the Genius, to solve my big problem, or at least be a friend.

"How would you describe your 'power'?" she asked.

I blinked, surprised by the business in her tone. "Well, um, lately I've, um, been more able to, I don't know, 'read' people, you know? Like, I can look at them and tell you if they're good or bad, and then, this afternoon it was like, I was _inside _their mind, you know? And I...I-I-" I couldn't go on. I was shaking all over, and on the verge of tears. Astrid looked up and broke from her thinking spell to come hug me.

"It's okay, Leslie," she soothed, "It's okay."

I sobbed onto her shoulder, completely forgetting the embarrassment I always gained from crying in public. "Can I stay here tonight?" I asked, though it was hardly recognizable as speech.

"Ya," Astrid said, rhythmically running her hand up and down my back like a mother does to her child, "you can stay here anytime you like."

That night I slept in her guest bedroom. The not so useful computer was in there next to a small twin bed. "You sure you'll be okay, Les?" Astrid asked me when I arrived back from getting my stuff from home.

"Ya, I think I just need to turn in for the night, and I'll figure some stuff out in the morning."

"Okay," she said, looking me over, "Whatever you say. Night."

"Goodnight, Astrid," I said before lopping my stuff up the stairs.

I didn't sleep at first. I just kind of laid on the bed and thought. Then I looked at my palms. I wondered if I could do it again. I cleared my mind and pressed my palm against my face.

Astrid. She was just downstairs, going over all the people she knew with mutations, suddenly, the doorbell rang. Astrid; afraid it was someone after me, checked the peephole. Only Albert, she let him in.

"Albert? It's the middle of the... oh, my God, what happened to your face?"

"I could use some Band-Aids," Albert shrugged. He stepped inside and Astrid closed the door behind him. "Yeah, I could use some help. But that's not why I came here."

"_Do I look like the help fairy today?_" Astrid thought to herself for a grim second, but then silently chastised herself, then asked Albert, "Then..."

"Astrid. I need..." his words failed him. Fear filled his pores as he began to shake. "I need..." he tried again, then, sighing, "Just look."

He dumped a cat connected through a book onto the rug. I squeaked in terror, pulling my hand from my face.

"I guess I'm not the only one having a rough day," I told myself before I quickly thunked to sleep, exhausted from staying in someone's mind for so long.

"The power of intuition and mind reading," Astrid summed her previous paragraph into words I could understand.

"So... I'm an empath?"

"Ya, basically, but a really powerful empath. Leslie, if you could develop your power, you may be able to even _influence _people's feelings and thoughts," Astrid said as her eyes widened.

"Wow," I said. I stared down at my palms. It had only been a couple of hours since I'd realized my true power, but already I felt confident about it. I felt like it was normal, like it'd always been a part of me, like that was the reason I'd never been accepted.

Though a part of me knew that wasn't the case.

"I'm gonna... go home now I guess," I said, getting up from the floor of Astrid's living room. "Thanks for all the help Astrid. You're a good friend." I smiled at her and helped her up.

"You're a great friend too," She said, pulling me in for a hug.

But she forgot something.

Just one something.

And it secretly set me off.

She didn't give that usual extra bump, saying that I shouldn't worry, that everything would be okay.

And that was the bad move.

**A/N: Okay, so, now you know why Leslie was so scared of Drake from one look! Haha, but now I hope I've answered some questions and put even more into your mind. ;) I'll update soon! But I really should be going to sleep!**


	6. Chapter 6

Walking home I played "What would you do if..." It was pretty basic, only Astrid in it, pre-FAYZ imaginations, but it didn't clear my head.

By the time I arrived at my empty house, my head was so full of paranoid thoughts, I was on the verge of panic.

I stepped inside, picked my iPod up off the counter, and stuck my ear buds in. I walked into the kitchen to grab a drink; that's when I noticed something was off.

Drake was there, sitting at my kitchen table. I blinked hard. No game, no imagination, this was real.

He smiled grimly, "Hello, Leslie."

"H-hello, Drake."

"Our new mayor wants a word with you," he said casually, like he wasn't invading _my _house, on _my _property. I noticed he had a glass of water in front of him. "_My water_," I added to the mental list.

"What does Caine want?" I asked, putting on a pure quizzical face.

"He has a... an offer for you," he winked, "One you couldn't refuse."

I gulped, but tried to hide as much fear as possible from my face as I could. "Lead the way."

Drake led me to Town Hall were Caine was currently residing in the mayor's office.

"Hello Caine," I said when I walked in, then, seeing a familiar face in the corner I turned, "Diana," I nodded.

She nodded back, and Caine looked back at her with a smile.

"So what is it?" he asked, ignoring hellos.

"What are you talking about?"

His smirk quickly flew, he slammed his fist on the table, "Don't play dumb with me!" he yelled.

My insides shrunk back, but I fought by standing up straighter.

"I'm an empath," I said with tenacity, like a wealthy child announcing her last name.

Caine seemed to ponder this for a second. He turned to Diana, "You said she was a three bar!"

"She is!" Diana argued. I stole a glance at Drake, he was sitting on the couch in the room, not really looking at the scene being played.

"Then why is it she can only read _emotions_? That's not a power, that's a skill."

I smiled to myself, there confusion was entertaining.

Caine turned, "Elaborate," he commanded.

"I, um," I was expecting this, I couldn't play my game now without them knowing. I don't know why I hadn't thought of this. "_God Leslie,_" I thought to myself, "_you're so __**stupid**_."

"Well," Caine asked, getting angrier by the minute. My intuition, I mean, _power_, told me to be afraid of him, so I just told him the truth.

"I can 'read' people in a way. I mean, I, um..." it was hard to explain, if only he could just catch on like Astrid could.... "I can tell if they're good or bad, and then, when I _really _focus, I can read minds."

Now Caine's smirk came back. "Read minds, you say?" I could almost see the gears turning in the back of his mind. The possibilities a mind reader could set into play for him.

"Let's test this, Leslie," he continued, "What am I thinking right now?"

I grimaced as I closed my eyes and pressed my hot palm to my face.

Caine. He was thinking about Diana, how hot she was and how he wished I'd hurry up and leave with Drake so he could continue his plot to whoo her.

I pulled my palm away.

"You want me to go somewhere with Drake." Caine blinked. Drake's eyes swiveled his attention to me at the mention of his name.

"That is... odd. I was thinking that, but not immediately. I was playing with that idea in the _back _of my mind... How'd you like to help our cause?"

"And what would that be?" I asked, solemn.

"Take over all of the FAYZ," he stared me in the eye with an evil glimmer.

"Don't you pretty much have that covered?" I asked, looking around at the office to prove my point.

He rolled his eyes. "Fame is fleeting. Right now I have all of your friends under control, but soon," he clenched his fist and gritted his teeth, "There will be war."

I thought this over in my head. Join, and I'll be responsible for some pretty bad things, but refuse, and I'll die...

But why shouldn't I die. Who would care? Astrid never notices me, well, unless I'm freaking out on her front porch.

I stopped my mind rambling.

"Sign me up," I said, doing a mock salute.

Caine smirked, "Welcome aboard Leslie," he said standing up to reach his hand across the desk.

"Glad to be aboard," I said taking his hand and squeezing while staring him in the eye.

When I walked home from Town Hall my head was no longer swimming with thoughts of anger, instead, I was thinking strategy.

I felt like I shouldn't have said yes. But I also felt like I didn't want to die. I wasn't sure what to do, so I went to find the one person I never wanted to talk to: Sam Temple.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Okay, so I didn't screw up (x2), classic, Steph, right. :) Well, this one is right for sure! (My friend finally finished the book, but now it's loaned out again!)**

**Oh, and forget what you read earlier, please (x2). ;)**

I walked from my street to the firehouse, being sure to avoid town hall, and constantly looking over my shoulder, Caine had thought something about Drake leaving, and my paranoid side said it had something to do with me. My power said it wasn't anything good.

I got to the firehouse and yelled up fireman's pole, "Sam! Sam are you up there?"

"Back up," a voice said. I did what I was told, and a second later Edilio was standing in front of me.

"Where's Sam?" I asked.

"He's supposed to search houses today. No telling where he is right now."

"Oh," I said, looking around the garage awkwardly.

"Hey," he said as his face contoured into a quizzical look, "Are you okay?"

I looked him up and down. Edilio wasn't a bad looking guy, and he had a voice of concern that I had never heard in anyone before.

"I..."

Just then Quinn ran into the garage looking frazzled.

"What's the matter?" Edilio asked quickly.

"A-Anna, E-E-Emma... They- they poofed."

"What?" I asked quickly, trying to make sense within the confusion of his emotion. Fear mixed with anger and sorrow.

"T-today was their birthday, and they...they poofed..." he said distantly. His eyes were glazed over, looking at something far away.

"That's... nuts, man," Edilio said. I continued staring. I could feel it in me; Quinn and Edilio were calculating how long they had left. I knew: one month, eight days.

I walked out solemnly. No one needed to know how long I had left. No one really cared anyways.

I walked home to gather my thoughts. Part of me wanted to head back to Astrid's house and get all of the new developments in my head straight, but a part of me kept telling myself that I was becoming a burden to her, so I stayed home.

The news of Anna and Emma was spreading quick. Panic was in the air as the fourteen-year-olds stressed over how long they had to...

To what? Live, care for their siblings in the FAYZ? No one knew, yet they were all afraid.

I grabbed my stomach, trying to think of the last time I'd ate, and to change the topic of my thoughts. "_Wasn't it yesterday afternoon_?" I asked myself, "_No, this morning. I was hungry because I'd been in Astrid's head for so long the night before..._"

I decided to detour and head to the McDonald's. A nice visit with Albert would be fun. Maybe I should mention the cat.

"_Maybe not_," I told myself.

The door dinged when I walked in. Albert looked up, the scratches on his face looked a bit better now that they'd been cleaned up.

"Hey, Leslie," he said. He had finished the McDonald's manual earlier on the week, and was running the place better than any manager in Perdido ever had.

"Hey, Albert. What happened to your face?" I half-faked concern. It's not that I didn't care, it was just that I knew.

"Oh," he said, his hand going instinctively up to his face, caressing the scratches. "A cat got me," he said nonchalantly.

"Oh," I said, looking away from him to not give anything away, "that sucks."

"Ya..." he drug out he word, looking down at the counter, probably for the same reason in was. Or he though it was too dirty.

I stopped the awkward silence, "Can I get a number one?" I asked.

He looked up, "What? You want food?"

I gave him a look, "Well this is a restaurant, right?"

He smiled playfully and asked, "Waffle or croissant?"

I thought this over theatrically, putting a finger to my chin and looking to the ceiling: "I think a waffle," I said.

"Daring, not many have had the waffle yet."

"What can I say?" I lightly joked, "I like trying new things."

I didn't stay to eat it, instead I went out into the plaza and sat on one of the benches. I looked around at the silent town. It was kind of peaceful really, though most would describe it as borderline creepy.

I sighed, feeling relaxed as I cleared my mind of all thoughts. I picked up my waffelburger and took a bite. I closed my eyes as I chewed, savoring the flavor, even though it wasn't the best thing I'd ever tasted, it was the best thing I'd tasted in a while.

That's when life started to suck again.

I saw the crowd first, so I got up to see what was going on. It horrified me.

Sam with duct tape over his eyes and a Mylar balloon duct taped around his hands, was being pushed in a grocery cart down the street by non other than Quinn. I felt disgusted as he pushed with shame.

Astrid and Little Pete were being pushed by one of the Coates kids I didn't know. Orc, Mallet, and a few other bullies from Perdido and Coates alike were walking around the percesion, like bodygaurds. In the middle stood Drake and Diana; one smiling wickedly, the other completely bored.

I followed them like the crowd. The led up to the school. I watched as they non to gently tumpped the trio out of the grocery carts, then led them stubbling up the steps.

The crowd departed back to their houses, worried and confused. I sat down a block away and wated, praying they'd be okay.

It seemed like forever, but I knew it couldn't have been more than a few minutes. All of a sudden the silence on the block was broken by the slam of the doors opening. Drake emerged from the school, fuming.

The look in his eyes scared me. Murder. He wanted murder.

I turned off my mind and pressed my palm to my face.

Caine. He was watching as Orc and Howard pulled away a broken Sam, fuming as well that his barganing ticket had disappeared.

Sam. Fear filled him, but he focused on how to get out of his situation. He tried pleading with Orc and Howard, whom just shook their heads and left him to die.

Quinn. He shook as Sam was taken away. He knew what he had to do, he couldn't have Astrid's blood on his hands.

I pulled away. "Astrid's blood?" I whispered in fear to myself.

I ran to Astrid's. I hadn't run so much since track season, still, once I got there, Astrid was already gone. I was in her front yard trying to decide where she would be when I saw Drake on his way over; gun in hand.

My heart stopped with fear but my feet started moving. I ran home. I ran home, slammed the door behind me and went to the couch to cry. I sat with my face in my pillow on the couch for a while, just sobbing.

I could have cried myself to sleep, but I was interrupted by loud banging on my door.

"_Crap_," I thought, "_I hope they didn't hear me cry, and I especially hope that isn't Astrid; I still haven't chosen what side I want to be on..._"

The person at the door banged loudly again. I picked myself up and headed to the door.


End file.
